When I think of winter foods I think of roasts, sheet pan meals and casseroles made with the wonderful root vegetables the fall harvest provided. One of my family’s favorite casseroles to enjoy during the winter is one called Company Potatoes. A staple from my childhood, this delicious and creamy casserole has a base full of flavors such as bacon, garlic, paprika and thyme. This makes a perfect addition to the meal plan without breaking the bank. My great grandma made Company Potatoes because it was a cheap and hearty meal she could feed to more people (company) without paying a fortune for meat and without sacrificing flavor or flair.
She would serve it with a big slice of her homemade bread that had been rising by the hearth earlier in the day with a perfect schmere of her homemade butter slathered across it to dip into the gravy and clean your plate with. It was heaven in a dish. So, one day long ago I got to thinking… how can I can this? And the answer came instantly. Can it up in a jar ready to go with the same exact flavors the oven casserole delighted us with and yet is ready to go and waiting on the shelves for whenever I crave it.
Personally, I like to put this back into a casserole and top with canned biscuit pieces. This creates a delicious crispy and tender topping that adds a perfect texture to the potato casserole. I like to add more bacon, chives, smashed up potato chips sour cream and freshly grated cheese to the top. with a dollop of sour cream, and once again I have heaven on a plate. Using Clear Jel in this dish helps to give the liquid some body but I also suggest using a little heavy cream in the dish when you’re heating it up. That will really take it to a creamy, delicious level. It’s simply perfection that way. For quarts add about 1/4 cup heavy cream and for pints about 4 Tbsp of heavy cream. I hope this will become an addition to your pantry shelves. If you’d like to watch me make this dish and find out about other amazing canning options, click here! You’re gonna love this! ~ Shawn
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. Smoked bacon thick cut bacon cut into 1” pieces
- 6 tsp. Minced garlic
- 18 c. Peeled and cubed potatoes. 1” chunks. Russets have a great, deep flavor for this dish and are the preferred potato. I also prefer to soak them in a cold bath with produce saver changing in between soaks to remove the excess starch from the russet potatoes.
- 6 c. Homemade stock using Better than Bouillon Roasted Chicken and Sauteed Onion bouillon. Use the ratio of 4 tsp. Roasted Chicken and 2 tsp. Sauteed Onion.
- 1 c. Water, divided
- 1 Bunch chives, finely chopped.
- 1 Tsp. paprika. If you use a smoked paprika your dish will take on that smokey flavor which can also be quite nice with the bacon.
- 1 tsp. Redmonds Real Salt *It doesn’t have to be Redmonds. I just really like the flavor in their salt.
- ½ tsp. Poultry seasoning & ½ tsp. Thyme, combined
- About ½ c. Clear Jel mixed with 1 c. cool water
Instructions:
Prepare your jars rings and lids by inspecting them to make sure they are free from rust or defects. Replace any that need to be. Wash them all in hot soapy water and rinse thoroughly. Fill each jar with hot tap water and let it remain in the jars until you are ready to use them. This will keep the jars warm..
Using kitchen shears cut up the strips of bacon into 1″ pieces and place in a stockpot on the stove. Fry the bacon up until it is completely crisp. Super-duper crisp but not burnt. remove from the post when done and drain on paper towels. I also use paper towels to pat the crisped bacon to remove the most grease I can from them. Once the bac0n is cooled, use a kitchen knife and dice up the bacon into small pieces. Set some aside for garnish Leave the bacon drippings in the pot and add the garlic cooking for a minute to release the garlics fragrance. Next add the rinsed potatoes, the beef stock, 1 c. of water and the bacon bits to the pot. Mix well and bring to a rolling boil. add the chives, paprika, salt, pepper, the poultry seasoning and thyme. Stir to combine. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Do not stir. Leave the heat down low for the simmer and leave it alone for the 10 minutes.
Wisk together the Clear Jel and the remaining cup of water and then add it to the pot. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
Ladle the creamy potatoes into your prepared jars leaving a 1″ headspace. De-bubble and readjust the headspace if needed to keep the 1′ headspace. Clean the rims and the sides of the jar with white vinegar and place the lids on them. Next apply the rings with finger-tight pressure. Dump your remaining vinegar into a hot canner ready to go and then insert your jars.
Bring the canning pot to a boil and lock the lid in place. Let the canner vent at full steam for 10 minutes. Once the venting is complete attach your weight/jiggler and let your pressure come up to your required PSI. If you are unsure of your PSI which is determined by your elevation Google is a wonderful resource and can help you with the correct information. Process quart jars for 1 hour, 30 minutes and pints for 1 hour, 15 minutes.
Once the processing time is over, allow the canner to naturally release all the pressure. You do this by doing nothing. Just leave it be. It’ll take about 30-ish minutes for the dial to read zero and the front vent seal to release. Once the pressure is at zero and it is safe to open, unlock the cover and open away from your face. Remove the jars and set them on a cutting board to rest and cool. Remove the rings once you are able to safely touch them and leave the jars overnight. Check the seals in the morning. Anything that didn’t seal can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and consume or you can reprocess, however I do not suggest that option. The potatoes will break down too much and be mush. Nobody wants a mushy potato soup.
Heat on the stove with some heavy cream, about 1/4 c. for quarts or 4 Tbsp. for pints. This can be used as a base for a pot pie, a stew served i n a bread bowl, a casserole again… the possibilities are only limited by your imagination and your appetite! I like to offer sour cream, shredded cheese, extra bacon bits and extra chives with it as toppings whatever way I decide to make it.
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